The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-03
The HARVEST.

| liquor traffic in this Christian civilization.
The HARVEST.
"The harvest is the end of the world" or
"the contamination of the age" as it is in
| the margin of the Revision 1897. The har-
| vest is not the end of the field, but the end
of season, or period of time, or dispensa-
| ton of Providence. "World," in our YER
sion of the parable, is the translation of two
| Greek words having entirely different mean
ings. Kosmos, "the field," 1887 is the word
which designated the world proper, the planet
on which we live, the inhabitable world.
Aion, at the end of which was the harvest
| (39) denotes an age or dispensation, and is
world" only in the sense in which we speak
of the g Christian world" Pagan world"
or "Jewish world" The end of the world
was the end of the age. The Jews were &C.
customed to speak of the existing times as
"this age" (aion), and the times of the Mes
siah, which they were eagerly expecting, as
the coming age" (aion) or "the world to
come" according to the English version.
"This world" and "the world to come" in
our Bibles, usually mean the Jewish and the
Chris ian dispensations. The "end of the
world" which was the harvest represented in
the parable, was the end or consummation
of the Jewish period in human history.
The end of the material world is never
taught In the Bible. We have no Scriptural
evidence that the earth will ever be destroyed.
The word is dion, "age," and not kosnaos,
world" THE end of the world" in all
cases in T.. V. English Version) means the
end of the age or epoch then transporting,
that is the Jewish dispensation.-J. w. Han
son, ID. ID.
AS the tares were gathered and burned at
the time of the harvest, SO JESUS represents
that the wicked, who were stumbling blocks
LITERALLY traps or snares) in the progress of
his kingdom would be destroyed in the prov
idential event which would overflow the jew
ish commonwealth and destroy the power of
Judaism to oppose the progress of Christian
ity. Afterward, at another harvest time in
the progress of the kingdom, the power of
the pagan opposition to Christianity was
overthrown and the kingdom of CHRIST was
triumphantly established in the world.
"The reapers [harvesters] are angels" (39).
Angel-messenger - minister. Whatsoever
ministered to the success and establishing of
Christianity were angels" reapers gather
ing the products of its harvest into the gar
ners of the ages. The providentiaf agencies
which destroyed the Jewish prosecuting
power and promoted the religion of JESUS to
a prominence and influence in the world,
were the reapers in CHRIsTs harvest field.
So through the ages the "reapersn are pre-
serving the fruits of the kingdom of truth
and righteousness, and bringing the works
and workers of iniquity to destruction.
The word angel by no means invariably
denotes superhuman being. In the Jewish
phraseology this name is given to any being
or anything which is made instrumental in
the accomplishment of the divine purposes.
Often this name Is applied to the instruments
by which temporal calamities were brought up
on men( Matthew xvi.s27, %; xiv. 30 ;.xxv.
81; see also Matthew xii. y. The administra-
ton of angels is so frequently and almost uni
formly connected with that signal judgment
which was then impending over the Jewish
nation, styled 'the wrath to come" "the day
OF vengeance" time of unparalleled " trib-
ulation," that there can scarcely be a doubt
that reference is here made to that event.
L. Il. Paige, DID,, Commentary.
Though the true Interpretation leads us d.
rectly to the dissolution of the Jewish state,
and the opening of new age or era, the
principles of the parable have wide appli-
cation, both to social and individual life.
Nations embody their principles in govern
ment; if of "the kingdom" they stand, if of
iniquity they fall. And there are crises in
the affairs of enduring governments when
the old passes away, sometimes. with great
noise," often with affective experiences to
the peoples, and the new assumes sway.
Every reformation" and revolution" if
permanent, is an illustration of our Lesson.
We venture an illustration of the parable
and it's Interpretation from the history of our
country. The principles of human freedom,
the rights of manhood, were proclaimed as a
basis of our popular institutions. While
men slept" and were unobservant, human
bondage was introduced. 1t grew side by
side with freedom, its Nervousness not no
ticed. By-and-b statesmen perceived and
denounced the wrong. 1t was, however,
sustained by plausible considerations, de-
duced from commercial interest. When the
Constitution was in process of formation, it
was sought to root out the evil; but the har-
vest time had not come. The attempt, if
successful, would have destroyed the gov
eminent, with the freedom for which it
stood. In due time. the two principles came
to maturity. Freedom from a sentiment
grew to principle. Bondage claimed equal
if not superior privilege, and justified itself
as right. sThe "reapers" appeared; freedom
is preserved; slavery destroyed, to the suffer
ing of those who upheld it. The apostles of
freedom, once derided, have become glori-
fed as the prophets of their age, which came
to an end in blood and fire.-Dr. Denlarest.
T1I memnrtanI.